Although there is no tackling in flag football, safety gear such as mouthguards and safety straps for glasses are still recommended. Some leagues may require you to wear flat-soled or molded cleat shoes (meaning the cleats are actually part of the sole). Shoes with spikes or cleats that can be removed may be forbidden. Helmets and padding are not required. In fact, they are usually forbidden in official games.
If you don’t have belts, tuck the flags under your waistband. Tuck them far enough to keep them in place when you run, but not so far in that your opponents can’t reach them or pull them free. Fixing your flags so that they are harder to remove can result in ten-yard penalties if you’re caught, meaning that your team will lose ten yards at the start of your next down.
The game should be played on level ground so no one team has an unfair advantage. Players who need to climb uphill to reach their end zone will face more challenges than opponents running downhill. If you are able to play on an actual football field where the yards and end zones are already marked, great! If not, use cones or flags to mark your end zones. Trace your goal lines and sidelines with spray paint if possible so they are easier to spot. End zones should be the last ten yards (9. 1 meters) at either end of the playing field. [2] X Research source This usually holds true even when playing on a smaller field. Recommended measurements for smaller fields include: 60 yards long by 20 yards wide (54. 9 by 18. 3 meters); 70 yards long by 25 yards wide (64 by 22. 9 meters); 80 yards long by 30 yards wide (73. 1 by 27. 4 meters).
Teams should always have an equal number of players to avoid unfair advantages.
The team’s conduct as a whole. Disputing calls on the team’s behalf. Calling time-outs. Participating in the coin toss.
Also, decide how long of a break you will have between each quarter and half. The break between the second and third quarter (halftime) is typically the longest. The other two breaks are of equal length. [5] X Research source chrome-extension://bpmcpldpdmajfigpchkicefoigmkfalc/views/app. html Break times vary from league to league in football. [6] X Research source Halftime can be anywhere from five to twelve minutes. Breaks between quarters are usually one or two minutes. [7] X Research source
In the second half, have each team switch sides and protect the other end zone. [9] X Research source This way, no one team will benefit from unfair advantages, such as a steady wind blowing from one end of the field to the other for the whole game. Alternately, at the beginning of the third quarter you could also allow the loser of the coin toss a chance to choose which end zone they would like to protect in the second half. If you have no strong kickers, you can also the kickoff and start instead by granting the winner first down, starting from their five-yard line. [10] X Research source
Run the ball toward the opposite zone. Execute a forward pass to another teammate.
A snap is the backward pass from center to quarterback. It must be passed from between the center’s legs. ‘A down is the interval of time when the ball is in play, starting from the center “snapping” the ball and ending with a touchdown or the ball going “dead” (meaning when an offensive player’s flag is removed by a defender or they go out of bounds). A player is also declared “down” when the ball is declared “dead. " The lines of scrimmage are two parallel lines extending from sideline to sideline, with each line crossing one end of the football, which in this case is placed on the 5 yard line with either end pointing toward an end zone. The neutral zone is the area between each line of scrimmage at the start of each down. Neither team may cross into the neutral zone until the ball is “snapped. ”
When catching a kick-off, your entire body must be within bounds for the catch to count. The only exception is if you have to leap into the air to catch the ball, in which case one foot still must land within bounds. This rule is not universal, though, so have all sides agree to it before the start of the game if you wish to adopt it. If you are unable to make it all the way to the end zone, you are “down” as soon as your opponents snatch one of your flags or force you out of bounds. Although tackling is not permitted, you are still considered “down” if any part of your body other than your hands or feet comes into contact with the ground.
To be considered “at” the line of scrimmage, at least one part of your body (foot, upper torso, head, etc. ) has to be within a yard of it. Replace the flag that was snatched before you get into position. Starting a down with one less flag for your opponents to try for will automatically result in you being declared “down” again.
No one is allowed to cross into the neutral zone until the ball has been snapped. Doing so will also result in a five-yard penalty. Some rules dictate that all players must refrain from moving at all until the ball is snapped. [17] X Research source Other rules allow players to move parallel to the line of scrimmage or farther back from it.
Only one forward pass is permitted during one down. A successful handoff to another player behind the line of scrimmage does not count as a forward pass, meaning this second player can then make a forward pass as long as they don’t cross the line of scrimmage. You may make as many backward passes as necessary. [18] X Research source
If you do not gain ten yards in four downs, surrender possession of the ball to your opponents, who may now start their own offensive run from your last line of scrimmage. Once the line of scrimmage is within five yards of the end zone, you can only score by throwing a successful pass into the end zone, not by running the ball across the goal line. [20] X Research source
Do not place a player directly across from your opponent’s center at the line of scrimmage. Wait until the ball is snapped before crossing the neutral zone.
If you and your opponent catch the ball at the exact same time, the ball is still theirs. [21] X Research source Do not physically interfere with an offensive player to prevent them from catching a ball. This will result in a ten-yard penalty.
If your opponent has all of his flags, refrain from touching their body at all. Doing so will automatically grant them an extra ten yards as a penalty against you. As soon as you have hold of their flag, raise it in the air so others see that you have it.
Physically forcing your opponent out of bounds. Tackling them or trying to injure them with your arms or legs.
